The United Nations, a.k.a. U.N., is tasked to encourage cooperation and create and maintain international order.
The United Nations’ existing structure replaced the League of Nations, which was created after WWII to prevent another such conflict. When the UN was created, it had 51 member states. There are 193 member states and two observer states.
Current Leaders are:
- Secretary-General: Antonio Guterres
- Deputy Secretary-General: Amina J. Mohammed
- General Assembly President: Maria Fernanda Espinosa
- Economic and Social Council President: Marie Chatardova
- Security Council President: Olof Skoog
The world headquarters is in New York City. Additional offices are located in Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna.
UN is funded by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states.
Its mission includes:
- Maintaining International Peace and Security
- Promoting Human Rights
- Fostering Social and Economic Development
- protecting the Environment
- Provide Humanitarian Aid in Cases of Famine, Natural Disaster and Armed Conflict
The UN is the largest, most popular, most internationally represented, and most powerful intergovernmental organization.
Six organs that contribute to accomplishing these mission objectives:
- UN General Assembly (U.N.G.A.) is the only principal organ that all members have equal representation. U.N.G.A.’s powers are to oversee the budget of the United Nations. Press Releases by the General Assembly.
- United Nations Security Council (U.N.S.C.) was created in 1945. It is the principal organ that includes 15 seats and five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK, and the U.S. The first meeting was held on January 17, 1946. Press Releases by the Security Council.
- Economic and Social Council (E.C.O.S.O.C.) is responsible for coordinating the economic, social, and related work of 15 United Nations agencies. There are 54 members. There are 18 new members selected each year for 3-year terms. The sessions are held each year in July for seven weeks. Press Releases by the Economic and Social Council.
- Secretariat sets the agenda for the United Nations deliberative and decision-making bodies of the UN, including the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council, and the implementation of the decision bodies. Appointed by the General Assembly, the Secretary-General is the head of the Secretariat.
- The International Court of Justice is the judicial organ of the United Nations. It is responsible for settling legal disputes between members and gives opinions to authorize United Nations organs and specialized agencies. It has a panel of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council for 9-year terms. It is located in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.
- United Nations Trusteeship Council was created to ensure that trusted territories were administered in their inhabitants’ best interests and international peace and security.
UN Organizations & Specialized Agencies:
- Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO
- International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
- International Civil Aviation Organization – ICAO
- International Fund for Agriculture Development – IFAD
- International Labour Organization – ILO
- International Maritime Organization – IMO
- International Monetary Fund – IMF
- International Telecommunication Union – ITU
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – UNESCO
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization – UNIDO
- World Tourism Organization – UNWTO
- World Bank Group – WBG
- World Food Programme – WFP
- World Health Organization – WHO
- World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO
- World Meteorological Organization – WMO
External Links:
- UN Website
- UN Press Releases – Secretary-General PR – General Assembly – Security Council – Economic & Social Council
- World Meteorological Organization – Wikipedia
- UN Office at Geneva – Wikipedia
- UN Office Nairobi – Wikipedia
- UN in Vienna – Wikipedia
- UN YouTube Channel
Internal Links: